Communication with the Severely Brain-damaged by Means of Music

Abstract

In order to investigate the effectiveness of using music and songs for communication with the severely brain-damaged who are unable to acquire language, four sessions of music therapy were conducted on a group of six long-term residents at the Tokyo Metropolitan Hachioji Fukushien with profound mental retardation caused by severe brain damage. They were all adults ranged between 40 and 55 years of age (two males and four females). Familiar melodies and songs were presented to them by a music therapist using various musical instruments including guitar, piano, keyboard, autoharp, drum, bell and microphone. No response to verbal stimuli was observed in three of the six residents, while five, i.e. except for one who was almost sleeping during the sessions, reacted emotionally in response to the musical stimulation. Reaction was especially dramatic in two residents whose mother had sung to them in daily life from their early childhood. The responses to music observed in these five residents were gross rhythmical motor responses, singing, vocalization, smiling or hand clapping. The results showed that music proves to be an effective means of stimulating emotional responses in the severely brain-damaged, and also that, in order to develop this kind of communication, a comfortable, musical environment should be provided from early childhood. © 1996, The Japan Society of Logopedics and Phoniatrics. All rights reserved.